


Important To Me

by Pearl_Unplanned



Series: (We Loved 'Till the End) Cap_Ironman Bingo 2016  (2) [2]
Category: The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Cap_Ironman Bingo, M/M, No one knows Iron Man's identity, Secret Identity, Stony Bingo, slight AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-01
Updated: 2017-01-01
Packaged: 2018-09-14 00:50:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,457
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9149368
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pearl_Unplanned/pseuds/Pearl_Unplanned
Summary: After how poorly Steve and Tony's first date ended—after the restaurant had been set on fire and some villains had tried kidnapping Tony—Steve was sure that he'd messed up. After all, he wasn't fast enough to keep Tony safeandsave everyone from the fire.  Sure, Tony agreed to a second date, but...There's only one person who'll know for sure if Tony's really interested or not: Tony's bodyguard and Steve's best friend, Iron Man.





	

**Author's Note:**

> A continuation of part one of this series. The entire series will generally lead from one to the next in some way, though some can be read as stand-alone.  
> The summary of this one pretty much explains the last one.  
> [Bingo board](https://67.media.tumblr.com/fc772657b85377552663aeb4cabc0976/tumblr_ob71am60oz1tewqllo1_540.png) prompt: N3, the Helicarrier picture.

 

            "Are you sure I didn't mess it up?" Steve asked, looking out across the sky. While he wasn't a huge fan of being in the Helicarrier, it did have its moments. Like now, for example, with the brilliant sunset stretching out across the land, glittering on the water. He'd wanted to spend the evening with Tony—after the first few dates, he'd begun to see the other man start to open up to him, though there was still a lot that he was holding back on—but then he’d been called in by S.H.I.E.L.D.

            "I'm sure," Iron Man assured him, putting an armored hand on his shoulder. "When I last spoke with him, all he could talk about was you." Iron Man chuckled, his robotic voice still sounding odd to Steve. He wished that he could meet the man inside the suit, because he knew that someone was piloting the suit, and that man he considered one of his closest friends. "You're still worried about the fire?"

            Tony apparently had sent Iron Man on a mission that night, or else he would've been there. Steve believed him—the man really did seem to care about his boss most of the time. Ever since he'd joined the Avengers, he'd been less of Tony's bodyguard and more of an Avenger, but he still did do things whenever Stark needed him to.

            "If I'd been quicker, then he wouldn't have almost been kidnapped, he wouldn't have inhaled too much smoke..." Steve sighed. "So you think he enjoyed the date, before the villains showed up?"

            "He told me about the elderly people that you were saving," Iron Man said. Just having the other man there made him feel calm. It felt like he knew Iron Man more than he really did, which always made Steve relax after a particularly rough battle. He really liked the friendship he'd built with the man. "He seemed happy to me—did _you_ not enjoy it?"

            "No, I love spending time with him, no matter where we are," Steve said quickly. He pressed a hand to the glass and sighed. "I was going to spend the evening with him... Now I'm just hoping he didn't spend the entire time in the lab, since I know that he doesn't get enough sleep as it is. But instead I'm here... and while I do love spending time with you, Iron Man, don't get me wrong... I just wish I could've said something to him before we were called out."

            "I'm sure he saw the news," Iron Man pointed out. "And Avengers messages sent to me get passed on to him, as I _am_ his bodyguard first. He needs to know where I am, so I bet he could figure out that you were in the battle, too."

            "He _is_ a genius," Steve murmured, smiling at the thought of his boyfriend. It still made him feel giddy inside, calling Tony his boyfriend. It had taken forever for him to chase away the press, to try and convince them that _yes_ , he was the one who asked Tony out, and _yes_ , he knew what he was getting into and _no_ , none of this is against his will. At the current point in time, the journalists were a bit scared of going near him. "I'm just worried that one day he'll realize just how dangerous it is to be saving the city, or the world... and he won't want to have to put up with the heartache if I... if I don't make it home. And if he realizes that soon... I don't want him to leave, Iron Man."

            Iron Man sighed, shaking his head. "I still don't understand what you see in him that makes you want to date him. You know, I wouldn't judge you if it was about the money."

            "It's _not_ ," Steve said, crossing his arms. "I've got income from S.H.I.E.L.D., and I could care less about anything huge and flashy. I _did_ try to get a nice little apartment before Tony invited us all to the tower, and I probably would've stayed there instead if he hadn't been so welcoming."

            "So what, he was nice to you?" Iron Man asked. "You know, I'm pretty nice to you."

            "No, it wasn't that... I mean, _yes_ , he was nice to me, but... in the beginning, I think it was more of a sense of admiration. Not only is he extremely smart—far smarter than I can ever _dream_ of being—but he’s so much more than his intelligence. I've heard about where he has been, and where he's gone... I can't deny that there wasn't an initial attraction," Steve chuckled, glancing out across the glittering golden ocean. "Because there was. He's just... he's nothing like I expected him to be. I knew his father, back in the day, and... I guess I expected him to be like Howard."

            "Disappointed?" Iron Man asked.

            Steve shook his head. "I was glad. Howard just cared about money, but Tony's so much more than that. He's so kind. I can tell how much he cares about the team, even when he tries to deny it or make jokes about it. I don't know how to explain it... I'm still shocked that he said yes to that first date. I mean, look at me."

            "I am," Iron Man said, putting his hands on his hips. "The vast majority of the world would say you're just about as physically perfect as a human being could get."

            "On the _outside_ ," Steve muttered, because he knew he couldn't deny that. Sure, the serum was supposed to make his body as close to the peak of human perfect as it could, and it did a wonderful job at that. "But... I'm just some kid from Brooklyn. I'm not all that smart, I've been struggling enough with the new century, and the both of you have always been there for me, but... I was a nobody until I was Captain America—and it wasn't like I _created_ the serum that made me who I am today. But Tony built his company up from near nothing—yes, Howard started it, but you should've seen it back in my day. Most of what he built didn't even work. But Tony... he genuinely cares not only about his own work, but about the people that he helps."

            "And you're not worried about his... _history?_ " Iron Man asked. Steve hoped that he'd relay this information back to Tony.

            "I know that Tony has a bit of a history with being a playboy, but... I don't see him as someone who would cheat on me, or anyone," Steve said, noticing that the rest of the team was leaving Fury's office. He and Iron Man had talked with him earlier, and they were just waiting for the 'all clear' to go home. "He's so loyal, and brave and caring, even if he tries to deny it. He's such a brilliant man, and I just... I really care about him, more than I'd been expecting. I'm really glad he gave me a chance."

            "You know... he'd probably say that he's surprised you're willing to give _him_ a chance." Iron Man's response shocked Steve, who turned to look at him, an eyebrow raised. He wished that he could see Iron Man's face, to know if he was kidding or not.

            "Why? Tony's amazing," Steve said, shocked. "I don't know why he thinks so poorly of himself! Maybe one day I'll be able to show him the man that he can't see when he looks in the mirror... maybe one day I'll manage to show him just how wonderful I think he is."

            Steve patted Iron Man's shoulder as the rest of the team wandered over.

            " _Finally_ ," Clint gasped, rolling his eyes. "I swear, Fury doesn't ever want us to leave." He looked back and forth between the two. "Did we just interrupt something?"

            "No, we were just talking," Steve said. "We can go home now?"

            "Yes," Iron Man murmured, and Steve was a little surprised by the slight emotion that made its way past the robotic voice that he was used to. "It's time to go home."

            Steve smiled, taking one more glance out the window at the stars that were starting to sprinkle across the sky, and he thought of Tony. He could show his boyfriend just how important he was to him, he could show him just how much he meant to him. If Iron Man was right about how poorly Tony viewed himself, then Steve knew that it wouldn't be easy, but he really _did_ care. One day Tony would understand that, too.


End file.
